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. 2012 Feb;125(2):147-56.
doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01797.x. Epub 2011 Nov 19.

Predictors of persistence in girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: results from an 11-year controlled follow-up study

J Biederman  1 , C R Petty, K B O'Connor, L L Hyder, S V Faraone
Affiliations

Predictors of persistence in girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: results from an 11-year controlled follow-up study

J Biederman et al. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to examine the age-dependent persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its predictors in a large sample of girls with and without ADHD followed prospectively for 11 years into young adulthood.

Method: Participants were girls with (N=96) and without (N=91) ADHD and were 6-17 years old at the baseline assessment (mean age, 11 years) and 15-30 years old at the follow-up assessment (mean: 22 years). Participants were comprehensively and blindly assessed with structured diagnostic interviews and assessments of cognitive, social, school, and family functioning.

Results: At the 11-year follow-up, 33.3% met full criteria for ADHD, 29.2% showed partial persistence of the disorder, 10.4% had impaired functioning, and 4.2% were remitted but treated (77.1% of the sample). Predictors of persistence were psychiatric comorbidity, family history of psychopathology, and family and school functioning at baseline.

Conclusion: These long-term, prospective, follow-up findings extend to girls findings that ADHD is persistent over the long term and can be predicted from psychosocial adversity and psychiatric comorbidity ascertained 11 years earlier.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Persistence of ADHD at 11- year follow-up.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age-specific prevalence of persistence of ADHD at the 11-year follow-up by definition of persistence and symptom type (N=92). The prevalence of persistence varied considerably depending on the definition used. Age was not significantly associated with any definition of persistence (all p>0.20).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
CBCL at baseline
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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